Jia Zhangke Speaks Out Against Cenorship in China

“The only reason that we cannot make genre movies is the barrier that censorship sets.” Jia Zhangke says more here.  Meanwhile a leaked diplomatic document gives  some insight as to whose taste is being served in recent Chinese historical epics.  Xi Jinping admires American World War II dramas:  “Some […]

Planning the Hit on Stephanie Brown

At the Auckland Writers and Readers Fest, writer Dylan Horrocks talked about being in the meetings where  the death of Stephanie Brown, the superhero Spoiler and a female Robin, was planned, :  “As well as a Dan DiDio impersonation, he told the audience that the writers were told […]

Summer Fun Time Reading ’11

It’s summer time and instead of beer bottles exploding out of coolers in a shower of refreshing ice, bikini-clad hotties and fireworks as we know it should be, everything is wilting and perhaps even melting. As far as I can tell there are only two possible explanations—Hot Lava […]